Doody recently implemented the second major wave of personnel adjustments with the retirement of Fire Captain Dan Beal, who stepped down after 31 years of service.

Over the last two weeks, Doody assigned four captains — Wendell Robery, Ed Freitas, Andy Morgan, and Tad Johnston — to oversee all the calls at both stations and redeployed the department’s lieutenants into station and shift command positions.

He also recently submitted a budget request to add four additional firefighters beginning in FY19 — one for each shift — to bring the minimum manning from nine to 10 firefighters per shift. The additional manpower, if approved, will cost the town another $213,000 in salary, plus additional costs for training and equipment. These plans are currently under review by the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.

Doody said there were two factors driving the reorganization. One was the successful implementation of a regional call center beginning in July, which has enabled the chief to move a firefighter previously handling dispatch onto a fire truck.

The other factor was the spike in call volume, which increased more than 10 percent in a one-year period — up from 3,900 calls in 2016 to 4,300 in 2017.

“We need more firefighters on the street,” said Doody. “The [growth in] development, hotels, opioids, calls within the neighborhoods, hazmat.”

The last time the department added more firefighters was in 2001, and Doody believes that growth in the town over the past 17 years, as well as broader societal changes, have led to the need for more shift personnel.

Earlier this fiscal year, Doody promoted four firefighters to lieutenant, giving the department a total of eight. The four new lieutenants are Tom Norton, Jason Coleman, Jamie Meier and Ryan Patrician. Tom Driscoll will be the training captain and Norton will also take over the responsibilities as the fire prevention officer.

Doody believes the new reorganization will benefit the department for years to come. But he also thinks the town should decide at some point whether the community needs to add a third fire station due to new development and population shifts, particularly in the Route 138 area.

In other recent Fire Department news, Doody was pleased to report that the FinCom has approved a $200,000 reserve fund transfer to help address a shortfall in the current operating budget. The shortfall was caused by increased overtime costs resulting from the temporary loss of six firefighters due to injuries and illnesses. Doody said the transfer will enable the department to keep both of its ambulances running at least through annual town meeting in May. By then he is hoping that some of the firefighters will have returned to work, which should help alleviate some of the budget concern through the end of FY18 and into the start of the next fiscal year.

]]>Ice House pulls liquor license request amid oppositionhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/01/12/selectmen-news-ice-house/
Sat, 13 Jan 2018 01:37:12 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37935The owners of the Canton Ice House withdrew an application for an all-alcohol restaurant license just hours before a scheduled hearing with the Board of Selectmen earlier this week after receiving several letters of opposition from various town officials.

Selectmen opened the public hearing on the license at Tuesday night’s meeting, at which point Paul Schneiders, representing the Canton Ice House, informed the board of his clients’ intent to withdraw the application.

Ice House owners William Dadasis, Charles Giacchetto and Matthew Dimock wrote to selectmen, “Given the tone and content of the letters, we do not wish to put the board in a very awkward position and we therefore withdraw our application.”

The owners recounted their efforts to get their facility up and running soon after the Metropolis Ice Rink collapsed in 2015. They also noted that they continue to offer discount rates for Canton Youth Hockey and Canton High School while also providing two coaches’ offices and two custom locker rooms free of charge for the high school teams.

The owners said they hoped that the license could have helped offset a current financial deficit with additional revenues. “The three of us are extremely disappointed that these town officials have such strong opposition to our application, which we feel is a completely reasonable proposal with substantial precedent,” they wrote. “We are not sure how best to proceed going forward.”

Police Chief Ken Berkowitz and Fire Chief Charles Doody both spoke at the hearing and agreed that an alcohol license does not mix with youth hockey.

“I agree this group stepped up big time when there was a need,” said Doody. “But as a public safety [official], I can’t support this.”

Berkowitz said he wished the full hearing had been held so he could have heard both sides of the issue.

Resident Stephen Hagan of Will Drive also spoke at the meeting and voiced his opposition to the license proposal, noting that he could not support a liquor license in a venue where young hockey players are playing. He also asked the town to have police step up enforcement of the stop signs for motorists exiting the ice rink off Will Drive …

See this week’s print edition for more highlights from the January 9 selectmen’s meeting. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).

]]>News Notes: Man charged for leaving dogs in carhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/01/12/news-notes-61/
Fri, 12 Jan 2018 23:38:13 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37940A Brookline man will be summoned to court to face animal cruelty charges after he was twice reported for leaving his dogs locked in a car in sub-freezing temperatures on Sunday, January 7. Deputy Police Chief Helena Rafferty said residents called police when they spotted the dogs locked in the car at the library and Town Hall. After the second call, police turned the dogs over to the town’s animal control unit, which brought them to Tufts Medical Center for evaluation. The dogs’ owner, Matthew Amory, 48, faces two counts of cruelty to animals.

Firefighters respond to elevated CO calls

The Canton Fire Department responded to three instances of elevated carbon monoxide levels inside residences last week. Firefighters ventilated all three homes, which were located on Short Street, Indian Woods Way, and Neponset Street.

Firefighters also assisted the Milton Fire Department in responding to a fire inside a maintenance building at Curry College on Tuesday, January 2, around 12:15 p.m. Canton firefighters assisted with extinguishment and overhaul operations. No injuries were reported.

Town digs out from Jan. 4 blizzard

The first big winter storm of 2018 arrived with a bang last Thursday, dumping nearly a foot and a half of snow on the Canton area and leading to the closure of schools and town offices.

Plows were out on the roads beginning around 9 a.m. on Thursday and private contractors went home at 3 a.m. on Friday, January 5. Schools remained closed and DPW employees continued with snow removal operations throughout most of the daytime on Friday. DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta reported that all three sidewalk plows were damaged, but one was repaired by Friday and the others were operational by early this week. DPW crews were working at the beginning of this week on clearing snow in the downtown area. Trotta speculated that the storm will cost the town approximately $35,000. The town budgeted $600,500 for snow removal in FY18, and of that figure, approximately $170,000 had been spent prior to last week’s storm.

The Fire Department responded to 20 calls for service within the 24 hours of the storm, including fire-related, emergency medical, and hazardous materials calls. No serious accidents were reported and most vehicles remained off the roads during the peak of the storm between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

]]>Police investigating New Year’s Eve home invasionhttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2018/01/05/home-invasion/
Fri, 05 Jan 2018 23:59:07 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37899Canton police are seeking the public’s help in identifying three possible suspects in a reported home invasion with shots fired that occurred on New Year’s Eve shortly before midnight.

The incident took place at a townhouse on Bay Drive. Police initially responded to a call for shots fired at the Avalon apartments on Randolph Street, but upon further investigation they found the townhouse with a smashed-in door and window.

The suspects were caught on surveillance footage fleeing the scene in a late model SUV. Police believe the vehicle is a 2012-2015 Cadillac SRX.

The surveillance video can be viewed on the CPD Facebook page. Anyone with information pertaining to the case is urged to call the Canton Police Department at 781-828-1212.

“CFD is urging residents to take precautions during this period of extreme cold weather. Stay indoors if you can. If you must go outside, dress in layers and make sure your car is equipped with cold weather gear and an emergency kit. Also, remember to check on your family, the elderly, or others with access and functional needs to make sure they are safe.”

Prolonged exposure to the cold can lead to serious health issues, including frostbite and in extreme cases, hypothermia. Therefore, MEMA urges residents to minimize outside activities. If you must go outside, follow these safety tips:

* Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, rather than a single layer of heavy clothing. Wear a hat, mittens (rather than gloves) and sturdy waterproof boots, protecting your extremities, and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

* Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. The warning signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If the person’s temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care.

* Have a well-stocked home emergency kit that includes a flashlight, sleeping bag or blanket, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, and non-perishable food.

* Be a good neighbor. Check with elderly or disabled relatives and neighbors to ensure their safety.

* Limit outdoor time for your pets. Freezing temperatures are dangerous to animals as well as humans.

* Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as alternate emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity. When utilizing alternate heating sources, such as an emergency generator, your fireplace, wood stove, or space heater, take necessary safety precautions:

* Keep a fire extinguisher handy and ensure everyone knows how to use it properly.

* Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven or charcoal barbecue grill.

* Make sure all heating devices are properly ventilated and always operate a generator outdoors and away from your home. Improper heating devices can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup in the home. Make sure you test smoke alarms and CO detectors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause flu-like illness or death. If you suspect CO poisoning, call 911 immediately, get the victim to fresh air, and open windows.

* If you do not have an alternate heating source, trap the existing heat by sealing off unused rooms by stuffing towels in the cracks under the doors. At night, cover windows with extra blankets or sheets. Wrap pipes in insulation or layers of newspapers covered with plastic to keep them from freezing. Allow a trickle of warm water to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past. This will keep the water moving so that it cannot freeze. If pipes freeze, remove insulation, completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes or wrap them with towels soaked in hot water, starting where they are most exposed to the cold. A hand-held hair dryer, used with caution, also works well.

If you need information on the location of open warming centers or shelters, check with local authorities or call 2-1-1, which is a state-operated non-emergency line.

Due to the rise in online purchasing, many local communities have seen an increase in thefts of packages at front doors and on porches. Canton police have received several such calls this week. Deputy Police Chief Helena Rafferty suggested that residents request that the packages be delivered to an enclosed area or to workplaces when possible.

First snowstorm nets 8 MV accidents

Saturday’s snowstorm brought 5.5 inches of plowable snow to Canton along with a rash of motor vehicle accidents. The most serious accident was a rollover reported near 271 Sherman Street around 10:30 p.m. Arriving firefighters found the vehicle overturned on a retaining wall. Fire Lt. Ryan Patrician said the driver left prior to the arrival of emergency services and there were no occupants inside the car. Engine 3 remained on the scene until the vehicle was removed. Other accidents were reported during the day on Turnpike Street, York Street and Flintlocke Lane, York Street, Elm Street, Bayberry Road, and Dedham Street and Cedarcrest Road.

DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta said sanding operations began around 1 p.m. on Saturday and plows were sent out around 6 p.m. Thirty-two DPW staff members manned the plows until 5 a.m. on Sunday, and sanders were also sent out Sunday night as the melting snow refroze on the roads. Trotta reported no problems and said motorists were off the roads for the most part by Saturday evening.

CFD responds to 2 transformer fires

Canton firefighters responded to two transformer fires last week — one at 5 Whitman Road on Wednesday afternoon, December 6, another a few hours later at 35 North Street. In the first incident, firefighters discovered a pole fire and the primary wires were burning. A safe zone was established and the electrical company was contacted to shut down the power. Engine 2 stood by for power company resources to arrive. There were no injuries or property damage reported

In the second incident, a bystander reported seeing the transformer explode and charring was observed above the transformer. The primary lines were down and arching. The power company was contacted and Engine 3 stood by for removal of the hazard. No injuries or building damages were reported.

In another call, Canton firefighters assisted Westwood in extinguishing a motor vehicle fire on December 8 around 9 p.m. on I-93 North, before Route 138. No injuries were reported.

]]>Canton EMTs respond to rash of overdose callshttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2017/11/23/news-notes-59/
Fri, 24 Nov 2017 00:44:26 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37602Canton emergency personnel responded to four drug overdose calls in a six-day span last week. Three of the victims were male and one was a female, and in each instance the opiate reversal drug Narcan was successfully administered. In one of the cases, a 45-year-old Canton man was found unresponsive after crashing his vehicle into a fire hydrant on November 15 around 11 a.m. EMTs revived the man with Narcan and police later charged him with drug and property damage offenses.

Firefighters investigate suspicious package

Canton firefighters responded to a report of a suspicious package at a commercial property at 250 Royall Street on Tuesday morning, November 14, around 9 a.m. A state HazMat response team was also called in, but the package was determined not to be a threat. No injuries were reported. Also last week, on Thursday, November 16, Canton firefighters responded to a mutual aid call for a two-alarm fire at a commercial building in Avon. The call came in around 7 p.m. and firefighters from Engine 3 worked to extinguish the fire and assisted with overhaul operations. No injuries were reported.

See this week’s Canton Citizen for more police and fire news. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).

]]>Trooper with local ties stands up to Mass. State Policehttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2017/11/17/trooper-state-police-suit/
Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:55:24 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37531The head of the Massachusetts State Police abruptly retired on Friday and the state attorney general’s office has launched an investigation following an explosive allegation of special treatment and possible conspiracy in a case involving a judge’s daughter and a young state trooper who was reportedly just trying to do the right thing.

Ryan Sceviour

Trooper Ryan Sceviour, 29, a Canton native, CHS graduate and a former Canton Police officer, made headlines across the country last week after the Boston Globe, following up on an initial exposé by Worcester area online blog Turtleboy Sports, reported that Sceviour was suing the State Police and his commanders for forcing him to unlawfully alter a police report and for unfairly reprimanding him. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court and alleges that the actions of Sceviour’s superiors have caused damage to his job security and his reputation as well as “severe emotional distress.”

The controversy stems from Sceviour’s police report detailing the October 16 arrest of Alli Bibaud — daughter of Dudley District Court Judge Timothy Bibaud — who was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and drugs and various other motor vehicle offenses after crashing her car into a guardrail on Interstate 190 in Worcester. Sceviour, in his original report, noted that Bibaud appeared to be severely intoxicated and that she had offered him sex in exchange for leniency. He also included her claims that her father was a judge and that he was going to be furious with her when he found out about the arrest.

Sceviour, according to the lawsuit and by the State Police’s own admission, was subsequently ordered to remove certain portions of his original report that were deemed to be “inflammatory” and then told that he would be receiving a formal reprimand for including “negative and derogatory statements” attributable to Bibaud in his arrest report.

The punishment, according to the complaint, was doled out by his superiors at the Holden barracks after he was ordered to report there on his day off. The complaint cites a series of voicemails from Lt. James Fogarty indicating that the order to appear at the barracks came directly from the MSP superintendent himself — the since retired Col. Richard McKeon — and involved an “extremely important” matter regarding the arrest of a “judge’s daughter.”

Pertaining to the discipline Sceviour received, the lawsuit indicates that he was told by two superiors, Lt. Fogarty and Major Susan Anderson, that he had done “nothing wrong” and that they were simply following orders from above.

Sceviour, according to the lawsuit, was then presented with a marked-up copy of his original report and instructed by Major Anderson to sign off on the changes. After initially refusing to do so on the grounds that it would be “morally vacant,” Sceviour then reluctantly complied after he was told that failing to follow a direct order could result in further discipline and possible discharge. He was then ordered to deliver the amended report to Worcester District Court into the awaiting hands of ADA Jeffrey Travers.

The lawsuit further alleges that the conduct of “Col. McKeon, Major Anderson and others” amounted to conspiracy and that they had “agreed to arrange to have the original report surreptitiously removed from the court file and to replace it with the altered report.” However, Sceviour insisted on noting in the report that it had been revised, and the altered report was never put into the court file.

Reached by telephone on Tuesday, Sceviour’s attorney, Lenny Kesten, said his client deserves an award for his actions and for showing tremendous courage in the face of intimidation and coercion.

“He insisted on writing on it that it was amended,” Kesten said. “He would not give a report that appeared to be an original.”

“He had the bravery when he was sitting there with the major to say he wouldn’t do it,” Kesten added. “Here he is, his lifelong dream was to be a trooper. He’s a little over a year [on the job] and he’s being told that the highest people want to do this and he says no. To me, he’s a hero and I think he’s incredibly brave.”

Kesten said that Sceviour has received unanimous support from his fellow troopers as well as from the broader law enforcement community since the news of his lawsuit broke last week. At the same time, he noted that there are people involved, particularly superiors of Sceviour’s, who remain in positions of power and deserve to be “outed” for their offenses.

“Our intention,” he said, “is to expose the whole thing and see who did what so it never happens again to another trooper and Ryan can have a good career, as he should.”

In addition to Sceviour, Kesten is also representing Trooper Ali Rei, a drug recognition expert who administered a drug test to Bibaud on the night of her arrest. On Friday, Rei filed a federal lawsuit alleging that she was ordered by her superiors to shred her log entries in an administrative journal pertaining to the arrest and to redact from her report crude statements allegedly made by Bibaud.

In announcing his retirement on Friday as head of the State Police, Col. McKeon, a 35-year veteran of the agency, acknowledged the “public controversy” over his office’s handling of the Bibaud case, but defended his decision to “instruct subordinates to focus the arrest report on information relevant to the charges,” claiming that he has given that instruction “more times than [he] can remember,” particularly in cases involving drug addiction.

“In our law enforcement role,” McKeon wrote, “our first duty is to enforce the law and protect the public, but that doesn’t preclude us from being empathetic toward those in need.”

Governor Charlie Baker, through a spokesperson, thanked McKeon for his service but acknowledged that he “made a mistake” by getting involved in the Bibaud case. Baker had previously pledged a “significant review” of the allegations made by Sceviour and Rei, although Kesten said the investigation effectively ended less than 24 hours later with the retirement of McKeon.

In the meantime, there are indications in the court filings that the alleged controversy could go as far up the chain as Daniel Bennett, the secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, who was named as the person who instructed McKeon to have Sceviour’s police report altered. Bennett has vehemently denied any involvement in the matter, and Governor Baker has also publicly come to the defense of his cabinet appointee.

As for Judge Timothy Bibaud, Kesten said he has done his own background work and has thus far found no direct evidence that the judge was involved in any conspiracy pertaining to his daughter’s arrest.

Several of the players involved do have a history together, however, with Bibaud, McKeon and Bennett all having previously worked for the Worcester DA’s office.

Kesten would not speculate on the reason that several high-ranking law enforcement officials would be involved in a case such as this, although he is confident that the full truth will be uncovered in court.

“That’s why we filed the lawsuit,” he said. “To get to the bottom of who did what.”

]]>4 Canton firefighters to receive state ‘Firefighter of the Year’ awardshttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2017/11/11/news-notes-56/
Sat, 11 Nov 2017 17:17:23 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37492Four Canton firefighters will be honored as Firefighters of the Year at the state Department of Fire Services’ 28th annual awards ceremony November 21 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. The four honorees include Fire Captain Wendell Robery and firefighters Jeffery O’Brien, Jonathan Buckley, and Keith Flavin. Nominated by Westwood Fire Chief William Scoble, the men were part of a rescue team that responded to a small aircraft crash in Westwood in July and played an integral part in rescuing the injured pilot and his passenger. Canton Fire Chief Charles Doody said the four firefighters will also be honored at the November 14 Board of Selectmen’s meeting and a commendation letter will be placed in each of their personnel files. Doody said this is the second time in recent memory that Canton firefighters have been selected for this prestigious award. “We are very proud of all of our firefighters’ commitment to public safety and their professionalism in responding to and mitigating some very complex, life-threatening emergencies,” Doody said. “This group of men is just the latest example of the public safety excellence displayed by the members of the CFD. I am proud to be associated with this team of professionals.” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey are among those who will be in attendance at the state awards ceremony.

CPD officers join ‘No Shave November’

The Canton Police Department is the latest in a growing list of local departments to sign up for “No Shave November,” a fundraiser to benefit Cops for Kids With Cancer. Participating officers have agreed not to shave for the entire month of November in exchange for donations, although community support is still needed to help the department realize its goal of $1,000. A dozen area departments have signed on thus far, including Quincy, Easton, Hanover, Scituate, and Warwick (RI), which currently leads the pack with nearly $4,000 raised. For more information on No Shave November, click the “No Shave Nov” link at copsforkidswithcancer.org.

See this week’s Canton Citizen for more police and fire news. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today (also available in digital form).

]]>Arrests made in car wash armed robbery casehttp://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2017/10/27/police-news-notes-8/
Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:00:12 +0000http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=37385Canton Police Chief Ken Berkowitz announced the arrests of two men in connection with an armed robbery at Prestige Car Wash and Gas on Turnpike Street last week.

The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 19, and an ensuing investigation led to the arrest of Fernando Quade, 21, of Canton, and Reginald Boiteux, 21, of Brockton, on Monday evening, October 23. Both were charged with armed robbery while masked, larceny over $250, and conspiracy to commit a crime. They were both due to be arraigned in Stoughton District Court on Tuesday afternoon.

“The quick apprehension of these two individuals is a direct result of the initial response of our patrol officers and the diligent follow-up investigation conducted by our detectives,” stated Berkowitz in a news release announcing the arrests. “I commend them for their commitment to keeping Canton safe.”

Clarification on drug incident at GMS

The Canton Police Department has issued a clarification on the report in last week’s Canton Citizen concerning a drug-related medical incident that occurred recently on the grounds of the Galvin Middle School. According to the report, a man who had been hired to power wash a picnic table at the school, identified as Joshua A. Harris, 27, of Norton, required medical attention after allegedly using heroin in the school parking lot. Harris was transported to an area hospital and was subsequently summoned to court to face drug possession charges. According to Police Lt. Charles Rae, the suspect was not hired by GMS or the Canton Public Schools; rather, he was hired by Cole-Harrington, which leases space at the middle school.